Philipponnat Clos des Goisses new releases reviewed

2010 is justly celebrated in many regions of France; Bordeaux and The Rhône Valley, to name but two… but in Champagne? Probably more of a fair-to-good rather than great year, the unpredictable weather patterns and somewhat disappointing summer temperatures bequeathing wines that were far less ripe than 2009 and far less complex than 2008.

But what of Clos des Goisses, which is, to be fair, something of an anomaly in Champagne, its steep south-facing slopes usually a degree or so higher in temperature than elsewhere, its 5.5 hectares a contiguous chalky bloc which reflects the River Marne which flows at its feet?Charles Philipponnat, one of Champagne’s great ambassadors, is far from dissatisfied; the fact that the conditions were not ideal is translated into the revelation that only five of the fourteen plots were called to action, thereby reducing the quantity made from 30,000 to a mere 5,000 bottles. Low quantity, maybe, but very high in quality; Charles compares it to a ‘ripe Burgundy’ rather than the Chablis which one may have expected, given the prevalent conditions.

A most commendable effort, pleasure redoubled by the release of a superb Rosé Goisses from the seminal vintage that was 2008. Finally, for the connoisseurs, an impressive brace of LV (Long Vieillissement) cuvees from the early nineties, the House borrowing from the Plénitude and RD concepts with a couple finely honed and mature gemstones.

Simon Field MW reviews the Clos des Goisses new releases